Week 1- Individual Differences Flashcards
What is inherent characteristics?
Characteristics that are based on genetic make-up and are not easily changeable
What is acquired characteristics?
Characteristics that result from experience and are partly chosen.
What are examples of inherent characteristics?
1- Age
2- Gender
3- Ethnicity
What are examples of acquired characteristics?
1- Religion
2- Career path
3- Education
Biologically, how do identical twins occur and what does this mean in relation to their DNA?
Identical twins occurs when the egg divides after conception.
This means they share 100% of their DNA.
Biologically, how do non identical twins occur and what does this mean in relation to their DNA?
Non identical twins result from fertilisation of two eggs.
They don’t share the same DNA.
If intelligence is inherent (genetic), what will the levels of intelligence be between identical twins and between non identical twins?
If intelligence is inherent (genetic), identical twins will have very similar intelligence
Whereas non identical twins will have much less similar levels of intelligence.
If adoptive parents have a high socioeconomic status, what impact will that have on the child?
This will result in the child being more likely to have a higher level of intelligence.
What is epigenetics?
How behaviours and the environment cause changes to the way your genes operate
What is the function of the neurone?
Transmits information from one place to another
How do dendrites work?
Dendrites receive signals from sensory receptors and other neurones.
This causes a small change in the electrical charge in the neurone.
If there is a sufficient change in electrical charge, an action potential is created.
What happens in the nucleus in the neurone?
It’s where energy is created and stored and where most of the components of the neurone are created.
What is the function of the axon?
Conducts electrical signals from one place to another.
How does the myelin sheath insulate axons and what does this allow?
The myelin sheath insulates axons by wrapping itself around the axon
This allows electrical signals to be transmitted faster.
What causes the release of the neurotransmitter from the axon terminal?
An action potential
What is the synapse?
The synapse is the gap between the axon terminals on one neurone and the dendrites on the next neurone.
Why is the change from electrical to to chemical activity in the neurone important for function?
Because if there were only electrical signals, activity in one neurone would automatically cause activity in the next.
There would be no control
What can neurotransmitters do to neurones and what does this allow?
Neurotransmitters are able to either increase or decrease the activity in the next neurone.
This means it is possible to turn the next neurone on or off giving greater flexibility.
Neural pathways with many synapses create what?
Habitual behaviours
What could increase the number of neurones you have?
1- Loads of experiences
2- Aerobic exercise
What is a fixed mindset?
Belief that intelligence, personality or any ability is fixed and that a current measure of our ability predicts how we will always be.
What is a growth mindset?
Growth mindset- belief that we do not yet know our own potential but it’s always possible to improve with effort and perseverance.
A current measure is only a measure of current ability, not future ability.
How can we study whether behaviours are determined genetically or through experience?
Through twin and adoption studies
What increases the plasticity in the brain?
1- Having lots of different types of experiences
2- Exercise
What decreases plasticity in the brain?
1- Anxiety
2- Depression
